TRANSITional Art Project: Morris Plains Station Painted Murals

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts and NJ TRANSIT are pleased to present the TRANSITional Art Project: Morris Plains Station Painted Murals.

Qualified artists are invited to submit proposals for two overhead murals in the Morris Plains Station Exit Pedestrian Tunnel and one three-panel mural on Morris Plains Station Bridge.

NOTE: This is one of two calls for the Morris Plains TRANSITional Art Project. For the other call, click here.

About the Program:

Recognizing that public art can have a significant beneficial impact upon the transportation system and the communities that it serves, NJ TRANSIT initiated a Transit Arts Program in 1994. The Transit Arts Program identifies opportunities for public art to be integrated into the system and establishes a process for artist selection and art fabrication. In 2019, NJ TRANSIT partnered with the State Arts Council to create a temporary art program, showcasing local artists’ work, for several months, at various transportation hubs in NJ.

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts and NJ TRANSIT are pleased to present the TRANSITional Art Project: Morris Plains Station Painted Murals. This exciting project seeks to select up to three visual artists who live or work in the northern New Jersey counties (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren), and who are current residents of the State of New Jersey. Preference will be given to artists with a strong connection to the Morris Plains community.

Qualified artists are encouraged to submit their ideas for consideration for one to three opportunities - two overhead murals for the Morris Plains Station Exit Pedestrian Tunnel and one three-panel mural for the Morris Plains Station Bridge. All murals will be installed on removable panels. The project budget for the Pedestrian Tunnel is $4,000 per mural. The project budget for the Station Bridge is $6,500. The project will be unveiled in Fall 2026.

The TRANSITional Art Selection Committee (TASC) will review each application, and will select up to three artists. In addition to the commission of the work, the projects will be publicized through both NJ TRANSIT’s and the State Arts Council's communication platforms.

Artists should submit examples of their previously completed work, and a short narrative of their project idea(s) for consideration. Work samples submitted will be the basis for the Selection Committee’s consideration of the artists’ ability and experience in undertaking similar projects. The TRANSITional Art Project will provide stipends to the selected artist(s), which can be used toward project costs and artistic fees as needed.

Click "View Site Details" at the top of this call for images of the site.

NOTE: This is one of two calls for the Morris Plains TRANSITional Art Project. For the other call, click here.

Theme: Tracks Through Time: Movement, History, and Human Connection 

Applicants are asked to submit work that reflects on 250 years of American identity and transformation, the historical and cultural significance of railroads, and the lived experiences of people in transit both past and present. From the spirit of 1776 to the rhythms of modern commuting, this project aims to highlight how movement, specifically rail across land, time, and communities, has shaped the nation.

Budget:

The project budget for the Pedestrian Tunnel is $4,000 per mural. The project budget for the Station Bridge is $6,500, provided by the TRANSITional Art Project to the selected artist(s) to be used toward project costs, supplies, travel, and artistic fees as needed.

Safety & Durability:

Artists must consider that the work will be displayed in a public location and subject to the elements and potential vandalism. Artists must work in a timely fashion with the NJ TRANSIT team to ensure the work provided is safe and appropriate for public display. All murals will be produced on removable panels, which will be installed by NJ TRANSIT.

Selection Criteria:

The goals of this program are to connect NJ TRANSIT riders and the Morris Plains Train Station community with new, stimulating art experiences in their daily lives, and to provide New Jersey artists both exhibition opportunities and a supportive experience creating public art in transit spaces.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Artistic quality of the work samples in provided images

2. Experience to undertake the proposed work, as demonstrated by provided work samples and artist’s biography

3. Potential for positive experiences or interactions with the proposed work by NJ TRANSIT riders and the local community (the intended audience of the work)

4. Feasibility, safety, and durability of the proposed project design

5. Alignment with the exhibition theme noted above (Tracks Through Time: Movement, History, and Human Connection)

Artists are encouraged to be considerate of the ridership and public nature of art in transit spaces. Work will be displayed in highly public spaces, and as such, some themes or images will not be considered, including:

Work that could be interpreted as promotion of political issues or candidates will not be considered.

Work depicting nudity or sexual themes will not be considered.

Work that includes images or representations of violence will not be considered.

Work including logos or business signage of existing businesses, corporations, and the like will not be considered.

Moving images (films, videos, animations) and three-dimensional and/or performative work will not be considered.

Additionally, artwork submitted for consideration for this call may not be generated by artificial intelligence. The artworks submitted must be the sole creative output of the artist submitting the work.

Timeline:

Call for Artists Opens: May 7, 2026

Call for Artists Closes: June 9, 2026

Jury Review: June - July 2026

Artist Notifications: No later than August 5, 2026

Design Development and Installation: August - September, 2026

Exhibition Officially Opens: Fall 2026

(All dates are subject to change).

All applications must be submitted through www.callforentry.org (CAFE), a free website for artists to use. Artists must register and set up an account in CAFE, and upload images of their work to their CAFE account in order to submit to this call. Submissions will not be accepted or reviewed through any other means.

Artists will need to submit:

A 1,000 character (approximately 250 word) artist’s statement. You should mention here any specific connection you have to Morris Plains, and provide any insight into your work - ideas, materials, methods, or concepts - that you want the review committee to understand.

A brief artist bio.

Four to eight digital images of your previously completed work that indicates your experience with painted murals. You may also include up to 2 sketches of the artwork that you are proposing in your total of 8 images.

A two-page narrative document that describes the proposed idea for the overall mural design(s). Note in this narrative how work samples provided pertain to the proposed mural(s) in terms of style, motifs, etc.

This project is open to artists who are at least 18 years of age, and legally able to complete a contract with NJ TRANSIT. Artists must live or work in northern New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, or Warren County), and must be current residents of the State of New Jersey. Please note that eligibility will be verified, and jurors will not review any submissions that do not meet the eligibility criteria.

Preference will be given to artists with a strong connection to Morris Plains. Artists must be able to work effectively and collaboratively with the TRANSITional Art Project team to further develop their initial proposal idea to a final approved design. Further, artists should consider the project timeline prior to submitting a proposal. Projects are intended to be completed in Summer 2026, and installed in Fall 2026, meaning artists will have 4 - 6 weeks total for final design iteration and approval in collaboration with NJ TRANSIT’s team, after notification of selection.

Please do not apply to this call if you do not meet the eligibility criteria. Eligibility will be verified. No jurors will review ineligible submissions.

Contract:

Upon selection and final design approval, the artist must complete a contract with NJ TRANSIT for stipend payment, and complete any necessary forms or registration for being a vendor in the NJ TRANSIT procurement system.